Tree climbing device



Oct. 3, 1939.

v. D. PADERNAL TREE CLIMBING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 20, 1938 Oct. 3, 1939. v. D. PADERNAL 2,174,525

TREE CLIMBING DEVICE Filed sept. 2o, i938 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORN EY Patented oct. 3, 1939 2,174,525

UNITED STATES iATENT OFFICE TREE CLIMBING DEVICE Vincente D. Padernal, Salinas, Calif.

Application September 20, 1938, Serial No. 230,857

1 Claim. (Cl. Zwin-24) My invention relates to tree climbing devices within the housings I2 are worms I3 fixed to and more particularly to a power driven type. upper and lower driven shafts I4 journaled in One of the principal objects of my invention respective housings, said upper and lower shafts is to provide a tree climbing device equipped each formed of respective sections operating in 5 with power driven means for engaging the trunk respective housings. Said sections are fashioned 5 of the tree whereby to elevate and lower said with abutting squared ends on which are secured device. sprockets i5 serving to connect the respective Another object of my invention is to provide sections together and drive the same in unison. a device of the above described character which Each of the upper sprockets are connected to is simple in construction, efficient in operation, a lower sprocket by means of sprocket pins i6. 10 durable in use and economical in manufacture. One of the outer ends of each upper shaft is A further object of my invention is to provide connected to a drive shaft I'I of a reversible a device of the character described having means electric motor i3 by means of sprockets I9 and adjustable therein whereby to accommodate pins 2G, thereby effecting a Connection for drivtrunks of trees of different sizes thereby permiting all of the worms I3. l5 ting general use of the device. Mounted within the housings are worm gears Other objects and advantages will be apparent 2l meshing with the respective Worms I3. Said from the following description, appended claim gears are fixed to transversely extending shafts and annexed drawings. 22 journaled in bearing blocks 23 slidably mount- Referring to the drawings wherein like referu ed within guideways 24 within the respective 20 ence characters designate like parts throughhousings I2. Springs 2da are carried within the out the several views: guideways and coact with the blocks 23 and the Figure 1 is a top plan View of my invention housing walls to urge the shafts 22 in the rellustrating the same engaged about the trunk of Spective upper and lower housings towards each 25 a tree. other, said shafts being rotated by means of the 25 Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof. gears 2I meshing with the worms i3. Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views taken on Fixed on each of the shafts 22 are pairs of the lines 3 3 and 4-4 of Figure 1 respectively. sprockets 2'5 spaced relative to each other by Figure 5 is a detail sectional view through a means of elongated concavo-concave shaped trunk of a tree illustrating the looped end of the Spacing sleeves 26. Each of the upper sprock- 30 safety cable connected thereto. ets are connected to respective subjacent sprock In practicing my invention I provide a pair of ets by means of sprocket chains 21. The links frame sections 5 and 6 connected together by of the sprocket chains 2l are formed on the outer means of interiitting end portions l, formed on faces thereof with teeth 28 for engaging and the opposing faces thereof, having bolts 8 sepenetrating the trunk of the tree T, thereby ef- 35 cured therethrough. fecting a raising or lowering of the frame rel- The outer corners of each of the sections 5 ative to the tree upon operation of the motor and 6 have fashioned thereon a pair of spaced I8 in a desired direction. The motor I8 is arcuate shaped members 9, the ends of the memmounted on a plate or base ISa secured to the bers of one section abutting the ends of the upper platform adjacent one of the housings I2. 40 members of the other section to form upper and Secured on the upper faces of the sections 5 lower ring shaped platforms encircling said secand 5 are eye bolts 29 having attached thereto tions. The abutting end portions of said memends of a cable 30 terminating in joined end bers are secured to the respective sections by sections connected within a sleeve 3l. Secured means of bolts In and the intermediate portion to said sleeve is one end of a loopable cable 32, 45 of the respective members are connected to each the opposite end fashioned with a loop 33 through other by means of braces II whereby to reenwhich the cable 32 is trained. The cable 32 is force and form a unitary structure capable of adapted to be looped about the tree T and mainbeing readily detached from a trunk of a tree tained in adjusted position thereabcut by means by removal of the pins 8. of a pin 3d passed through the sleeve 2| where- 50 Each of the sections 5 and 6 are fashioned by to effect a safety means for retaining the with spaced upper and lower pairs of housings frame in elevated position when the motor I8 is I2, said pairs being spaced relative to each other idle. to form a rectangular shaped passage P through From the foregoing it will be apparent that which the trunk of a tree T extends. Located the sections 5 and 6 may be secured about the 55 trunk of a tree and maintained thereabout through the medium of the pins or bolts 8. When thus secured about the trunk of a tree the springs 24a within the housings l2 urge the shafts 22 towards the trunk and consequent engagement of the teeth 28 of the chains 21 into engagement with the trunk. In this position of the parts, the motor is operated in a direction to drive the connected parts for elevating the frame upon the trunk of the tree.

What I claim is:

A device of the character described, comprising, a sectional frame adapted for attachment about the trunk of a tree and formed with housings, gear assemblies operable within said housings including shafts extending from said housings, spaced sprockets xed on said shafts, chains having links formed with tree penetrating teeth and connected to said sprockets and operable thereby to effect a raising and lowering of said frame about the tree, means connecting said gear assemblies with a source of power for operating the latter and said chains, springs Within said housings for normally urging said shafts and said chains in a direction towards each other whereby to maintain said chains in engagement With the trunk of said tree at all times, and a cable connected to said frame and adapted to be looped about said tree whereby to maintain said frame in elevated position when said source of lpower is idle.

VICENTE D. PADERNAL. 

